Comcast is planning to take a page out of the prepaid wireless carrier playbook and offer consumers a prepaid fixed line broadband service. According to a report over at Light Reading, Comcast has been trialing a 3 Mbps downstream, 768 kbps upstream no-contract service in Philadlphia since late 2012, though it's unclear if the product will see a nationwide launch. A $70 starter kit will include an Arris modem, cables, and an activation code worth 30 days of service.

Once those thirty days of service are up, users can pay either $15 for seven days of access or $45 for another 30 days. Given the high margins on slow fixed line service, those prices don't exactly scream value -- and appear priced to ensure the company doesn't cannibalize existing customers with something more appealing.

Users can't have service at at existing Comcast service address, and they can only use the modem included in the starter kit. With those restrictions and the price it's unclear who this is supposed to target. Perhaps those hopping from trailer park to trailer park as they dodge the law for a series of bungled convenience store hold ups and missed alimony payments, clinging to lost hopes and forgotten dreams in a haze of bourbon and stolen credit cards? I kid. Sort of.

Comcast has been pitching the service on Craigslist. The Comcast prepaid broadband website has a little more detail on the offering.